Appreciate your comments here, Lisa.  Well said.Just want to add, think it’s important to recognize that homelessness, and often drug abuse used for coping, has impacts on these individuals mental health.  It’s understandable for people living outdoors, and all that comes with that, to become mentally unstable.With compassionate solutions, connecting folks with accessible, safe housing and other basic resources, individuals can begin to heal, recover from addictions, and can have mental health improvements.

To be clear, the residents were  indeed offered shelter, and 3 out of 4 accepted the offer and left the park. However, you are incorrect when you say that the “shelter” includes “supportive services” because it does not. So folks with mental health issues and/or addiction have a high rate of failing in congregate shelters…either they aren’t comfortable there and leave, or their behavior gets them ejected; these folks need  more than a roof and a cot to break the cycle. 

Onetimecharley:WHY ASK LISA? SHE ISN’T IN A POSITION TO KNOW SOLUTIONS. WE ALL NEED TO BE GRATEFUL FOR HER INFORMATION AND WILLINGNESS TO SHARE IT

Yes, well said. The lower classes in our society are so stressed because there is such an imbalance in this country and in our state tax system. So many problems that ‘we’ claim are too complex to solve because there isn’t enough money, but is that really true?

If only this country and particularly our state didn’t have such a regressive tax system, where people who can afford to pay more actually do rather than relying on the middle and lower class to foot the bill. We as a society do need to contribute to help those in need, but the burden certainly should be shifted so that those who can afford to pay more, do.

Having compassion equates to living in ivory towers?  Not the folks repulsed, uncomfortable, and assumptively afraid by seeing other people living in poor conditions?

At some point in recent years past, it’s like the universe got stuck on opposite day, or something.

How can anyone possibly see another suffering and living in these conditions as selfish? Is not people of better circumstances casting judgement and hate onto those less fortunate reads a bit selfish?

Sure it would be nice to not see certain things in parks or on sidewalks, but we’re talking about people who do not have a home!

Arent there other places to walk, to recreate, to take your dog to do his business? Where else do these people have to go where they will be welcome?

Next Time you feel frustrated by unsightly neighbors camping where youd like to enjoy, maybe try feeling grateful you have a home to return to, and a shower, and a refrigerator with food, and easy access to laundry, and a car to drive wherever…

Be grateful, have a heart, please let these people have a place to be for a bit. 

And I won’t begrudge you your apparent illiteracy, since the comment clearly acknowledges mental illness and need for help.

Harrell was on council for over a decade. Come on. 

CAMs perception that helping individuals who struggle making major life decisions for themselves is wrong – is the problem It is also unfair to those that truly need the help. These individuals should be given gov’t funded shelter, food, and clothing and shown a path to wellness. Leaving them out on their own is truly cruel. Now, after seeing the services that are available, they still wish to live on their own, we should provide them an environment where they still have nearby support. But doing nothing is not the answer. 

@James – we don’t spend billions on police, stop spreading misinformation.Also every single one of these people had a place to go. Every single one had a shelter with support services waiting for them. Most of them either decline or they stay for one or two nights before moving back to the streets.I’m curious what your solution would be? They have services and shelter waiting for them but they refuse them. Should we just leave them in parks?